And peancis gleason



(No Model.)

E. A. RIGGS' & F. GLEASON.

STAVE MACHINE.

. 4Shets-Sheet 1.

Patented Dec. 13, '1887.

Wag/@ 4- N. PETERS Phummho ra hu, Wash nginn. D. c.

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. A; RIGGS & P. GLEASON.

STAVE MACHINE. No. 374,630;

Patented Dec. 13, 18.87.

N. PETERS. Fhom-Lilhngraphnr, Waahinglon. n. c.

(No Model.)

4 SheetsSheet 3.. E. A. RIGGS 8: F. GLEASON.

STAVE MACHINE. 4

Pateqted Dec.

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N. PETERE PhnwLithognphe Washingmn. QC,

{(No Model.)

I 4Sheets Sheet 4. E. A. RIGGS & F. GLEASON.

STAVE MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 13, 1887.

meg;

ugnphcr. Washington. D. c.

UNITED STATES ETHAN A. RIGGS, or new ORLEANS,

PATENT. Fries.

LOUISIANA, AND FRANCIS GLEASON,

- RIGGS.

STAVE-MACHINE.

FJPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,630, dated December 13,1887.

Application filed May 12, 1886. Serial No. 201,972. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ETHAN A. RIGGs and FRANCIS GLEASON, citizens of the United States, and residing, respectively, at New Orleans, Orleans parish, Louisiana, and Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful-Improvementsin Stave-Machines, of which the follow ing is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in stave-machines, and has for its object the provision in a machine ofthe class named ofmeans for automatically feeding the stave-blank to the cutter-heads, of means for causing said cutter-heads to impart the proper curvature to the exterior and bevel to the side edges of the stave, and of means for imparting any desired predetermined taper to the sides thereof.

To the accomplishment of the above ends the invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement, and combination of the several parts for service, substantially as hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims. In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a stave-machine embodying our invention. Figs. 2 and 3 respectively represent a front and a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 00 w of Fig. 1. Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, represent detached detail views of parts of the operative mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts, A 3 5 designates the main bed of the machine, preferably formed in two sections, the forward, A, of which is adjustable up or down upon a supporting-base, A which may consist in a single casting, as shown, or in separate legs 0 connected together by longitudinal and transverse rails, as desired. Any desired means for adjusting said table may be employed-as, for instance, inclined planes or screws.

A designates the rear portion of the bed A, 5 which is rigidly secured to the base A and provided near its forward end with cut-away portions a, to accommodate the operative mechanism of the machine, as hereinafter described. We preferably form the upper surface shape and extend at their-lower ends through of the bed A, adjacent to the cut-away part a, '50 in a lower plane than the remaining part of said bed, and place in such depressed portions, at each side of the machine, laterally-moving beds A" A that support the cutter'heads, 850. The beds A A are provided with beveled side edges, dad, that operate in dovetail guideways a", formed on the bed A therefor.

B B designate flanges secured to and projecting upwardly-from the beds A A to form supports for oscillating plates 0 G, that are pivoted at c 0 tosaid flanges, and provided at a short distance from said pivotal joints with curved slots 0 c, that receive headed bolts 0 0 that extend through said slots to and into the flanges B B, for the purpose of steadying the movements of the plates C O and for holding them in juxtaposition with their supporting-flanges. I

The plates 0 G are practically triangular in 0 slots 12 12, formed through the tables beside the. 7

We provide each of said plates at one sidethe innerwith journal-boxes D D, to receive inclined shafts D D, that carry cutter-heads D D having adjustable knives D, by which the side edges of the staves are jointed or planed at the desired angle.

(1 d designate pulleys, secured, preferably, to the lower ends of the shafts D D through which motion is imparted to said shafts by belts from suitable driving pulleys. (Not shown herein.) If desired, the pulleys, d (1 may be placed and operate at the upper end of said shafts.

It is well known that the lower ends of cisterns have greater diameter than the opposite upper ends thereof, that consequently the staves of which said cisterns are composed have sides that taper from bottom to top, and that, as a rule, no two of said staves have similar width. Further, it is known that the side edges of each stave must be planed or jointed at such angles as will fall upon the radial lines of the cistern, of which they form a part.

Now, as above stated, the bottom and top of 5 cisterns vary in diameter, from whichit is apparent that the angles at which the edges of I its staves must be planed or jointed will also vary, such angles being greater or more acute at the upper ends than at the lower ends thereof.

We provide that the cutter-heads DD shall fulfill the ends set forth above-4. e., have lateral or outward movement to accommodate staves of different widths and tapers and a swinging movement to plane or joint the edges of said staves at the proper angles to fall upon the radial lines of the cisterns. of which they form a part, as above stated. We also provide that the operation set forth above shall besimultaneous with the planing or dressing of the exterior surface of the stave, to which a convex outline, in cross-section, is imparted. We accomplish the above ends in the following-described manner, to wit:

E designates a feed-roller placed and operating above the table in advance of a rotating cutter-head, E, provided with knives E having concave cutting-edges that operate in the plane of the table-surface. Motion is imparted to said roller and cutter-head in any desired manner.

F F designate inclined guide-plates that are secured at f to the movable beds A A andextend forward nearly or quite to the cutter head E.

G G designate studs that project from the upper surface of the beds A A to form journal-bearings for partially rotating guide-rollers G G, that are provided with outwardlyprojectiug cam-flanges g g,that partially surround said rollers G G G G5 designate springs that extend from fixed points 9 9 upon the beds A A to joints upon the top surfaces of the rollers to return said rollers to their normal position.

In practice a stave-blank is placed below the roller E and is fed forward thereby above the cutter-head E, receiving from the knives E thereof, the proper external dressing. The forward end of the stave now passes between the guides F F, pressing said guides and the .tables to which they are attached outward.

Thence the stave passes onward between the guides G G3 to a roller, H, the depression and rotation of which operate to set in motion mechanism whereby the outward motion of the tables A A is continued, as follows:

The roller H is mountedupon a shaft, H, having its opposite ends respectively provided with large right and left out screw-threadsh h. The shaft H is journaled in boxes H H that operate up or down upon studs H E, that project downward from the fixed table A below the movable beds A A and are held at their highest point of motion upon said studs by springs h h thereon.

The depression of the roller H operates to bring the opposite ends ofthe shaft H into.

engagement with worm-wheels I I, mounted upon studs I I projecting lateral] y from-supports I 1 secured to and depending from the table A. We provide the hubs or bosses of the worm-wheels I I with gear-pinions I l, (which are rigidly secured to said hnbs,) the site sides of each of the boxes K with flanges k, that extend at each side of the arms K, to steady said boxes when in operation.

k designates slots formed in the boxes K, through which extend to the arms K" headed screws k, that hold said boxes in position.

K designates upwardly-projecting fingers secured at their lower ends to the boxes K and extending thence through apertures in the table A to points above the same, at which points downwardly-projecting rods K are pivoted thereto. The lower ends of the rods K move upon the faces of slotted segments K that are secured to and project laterally from the lower ends of the boxes K,as shown. The rods K are held at any desired point upon said segments by screws k, that pass through the slots of K to said rods. In practice, the boxes K are moved upwardly, the rods K thereof moving between the arms k of bifurcated studs 7c, that projectlaterally from the tables A A Through the above-described construction it will be observed that the tables A A will be moved outward or inward by the action of the inclined bars K upon the bifurcation studs W, and that said beds will move to a greater or less distance with more or less ra pidity, according to the angle at which the bars K are set from the vertical plane. It will also'be observed that the degree of taper to be given to staves may be accurately determined by the above-described construction of parts.

To give the required angle to the edges of the stave, we employ the following-described devices, viz:

L designates upwardly-projecting blocks secured within slots Z, formed in the movable beds A A to the main bed A, and provided with curved slots l, in which move blocks 1, secured to and projecting laterally from guideways L, hinged at l to the projections L, as shown. The blocks Z within the slots Z are provided with screw-threaded apertures to receive adjusting-screws 'L, journaled in the projections L above the slots therein, and operated by hand-wheels l to set the guides at a greater or less incline. v

M designates studs that project laterally from theouter ends of they plates 0 O to receive swivel-blocks M, that move upon the guides L as the beds A. A move outward. In practice the guides L are set to give the requisite angle to the edges of the staves,whereby when the beds A A are moved outward the outer ends of the plates 0 O are raised and the angle of the cutter-heads changed automatically. We provide the movable beds A A at their rear sides near their adjacent edges, with swiveling guide-blocks N, pivoted at n to plates N, that are adjusted back and forth in suitable bearing at the rear of the machine dressed.

- and operated by suitable belts (not shown) in unison with the roller E.

In practice the stave is fed forward by the roller E, first coming into contact with the cutter-hcad E, by which the outer surface is Said stave now passes between the guides F F and G G, opening outward the beds A A next passes to and upon the roller H, thereby continuing to move said beds outward, as described, thence to and between the guide-blocks N and under the roller N", by which'the stave is drawn from'the machine, after which the beds A A are returned to their normal position, for which purpose springs connecting the upper ends of the flanges B B may be employed; or such result may be accomplished by weighted cords or their equivalents.

Without limiting ourselves to the exact con struction of parts shown and described, we claim- I 1. In a stave-machine, a face-dressing cutter combined with two edge-dressing cutters, laterally-sliding supports therefor, a reverselythreaded screw to intermittently move said supports, movable supports for said screw,connections between said screw'and cutter-supports, and devices, substantially as described, connected with said screw to rotate the same by the passage of a stave, whereby the edge-d ressing cutters are automatically and continuously moved laterally during the full longitudinal travel of a stave, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a horizontal surface-bed having a fixed portion, a verticallyadjustable portion, and laterally-movingsections in the plane of said fixed portion, and mechanism, substantially as described, to automatically move said sections, of fixed and oscillating guides connected'to said movable sec-' tions, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a horizontal surface-bed having a fixed portion, a verticallyadjustable portion, laterally-moving sections in the plane of said fixed portions, and mechanlaterally-moving sections, as and for the pur pose set forth. J

5. The combination,inastavemachine,ofa face-dressing cutter .and two edge-dressing cutters, swinging hearings to support said outters, laterally-moving slides to support said swinging bearings, a rcversely-threaded screw to intermittently move said supports laterally, and connections, substantially as described, between said screw and supports to automatically swing the cutters outward and upward during the passage of a stave, as and for the purpose set forth.

Y 6. In a stave-machine, fixed and verticallyadjustable surface beds having feed rollers and rotatable cutter -heads, in combination with laterally-moving sections having cutterheads, guides,and means, substantially as described, for imparting continuous outward movement to said laterally-moving sections, as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination of laterally-movin g bed sections, as A A having projections, as B B,

with pivoted vertically-swinging plates 0 O" and inclined guideways L, substantially as described, for imparting oscillating movement to said plates, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. Thecombination of laterally-moving bedsections having upward projections, as B B, with vertically oscillating plates pivoted to said projections and providedwith curved slots, headed screws'therein, journal-bearings to receive cutter head shafts, and inclined gnideways L, substantially as described.

9. In a stave-machine, laterally-moving bedsection having upward projections B B, provided with vertically-oscillating cutter-headsupporting plates 0 0, having swivel block M, in combination with adjustable guideways L, and means, substantially as described, to adjust said guideways, as and for the purpose specified. 1

10. In a stave machine, laterally moving bed-sections, having upward projections B B, vertically-swinging cutter head supporting plates pivoted to said projections and provided with curved slots, headed screws therein, and swivel-block M, in combination with the main bed of the machine, a projection, L, thereon,

pivoted swinging guideways L, and means, substantially as described, for adjusting said guideways.

11. In astave-maehine, laterally-adjustable bed-sections having upward projections provided with pivoted swinging outter-head-supporting plates having-means, substantially as described, for imparting movement thereto, in combination with the main bed of the machine, downward projections therefrom provided with vertically-moving plates or boxes K, and adjustable swinging bars K, as and for the purpose specified.

12. In a stave-machine, a bed, A, provided with downward projections K verticallymoving plates or boxes K, having laterallyprojeeting slotted arms, and pivoted or hinged bars K, in combination with means, substantoo nections, substantially as described, between said screw-shaft and said bed sections, as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In a stave-machine, a main bed, A, studs H H depending therefrom, journalbearings H H upon said studs, and screwthreaded shaft H, mounted in said bearings and provided with a roller, H, in combination with worm-wheelsI 1, supports therefor, and pinions 1 1, connected thereto, plates K, having racl -bars, adjustable bars or rods K,- and the movable bed-sections A and A substantially as described.

15. The combination of the main bed A, having depending studs and projections H, H and K", spring-pressed journal-boxes H H, shaft H. having roller H, worm-wheels I 1, pinions 1 1, and movable boxes K, having rack-bars provided with swinging bars K, in combination with bifurcated arms projecting from laterally-movingbed-sections A A said sections and cutter-head-supporting plates adjustably secured thereto, as and for, the purpose specified.

16. In a stave-machine, laterally-moving bed-sections provided with cutter-heads and mechanism, substantially as described, for oscillating said heads, in combination with a horizontal depressible screw-threaded shaft, H, worm-wheels I I, to engage said shaftpinions l I, connected to said worm-wheels, and removable boxes or plates, as K, having adjustable bars, as K, as and for the purpose specified.

17. In a stave-machine, the combination of 1 laterally-moving bedsections A A having upwardly-projecting portions B B, oscillating plates pivoted to said projecting portions, and cutter-heads rotatably connected to said plates, oscillating spring-controlled guides G G provided with cam-flanges and pivoted to said sections A A fixed guides F F, swinging spring-pressed and adjustable guides N, with the main bed having a fixed and a vertically-adjustable portion, and means, substantially as described, to move said sections A A toward and from each other, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence 0 two subscribing witnesses.

ETHAN A. RIGGS. FRANCIS GLEASON.

Witnesses:

GUSTAV SOHLAOHTER, J OHN H. CRAVEN. 

